Burden of Proof

Chapter 5

"Ouch... my ears." Jisoo grimaced. "I know business is a bit slow but there are still people working here. Spare our ears, please." She sat down with a small smile on her face.

"I'm trying to learn new chords and they aren't easy, okay?"

"I wasn't talking about the guitar playing," Jisoo teased.

"My voice? You're mocking my voice? You can't handle my great voice!" Lisa pretended to bang her desk before she set down her guitar – grinning. "What brings you to my humble cubicle, Boss?"

Jisoo shook her head. "Let me guess, there's nothing decent on cable last night besides 'A Few Good Men'? Sigh... You need more cases to handle. Anyway, I heard you've been looking for me this whole week."

"Ah yes, I have but it's not that urgent. I know you're busy."

"Well, I'm here now. So what is it about?"

"How's your case going?"

"Can't complain. It took a few trips around the country but we finally got solid testimonies from other victims. Court is going to be one huge party." Jisoo smiled. "I can smell the settlement."

Lisa laughed. "Good. I'm sure your patient could use it."

"Definitely. Her hospital bill is seriously scary and the insurance would probably just cover half of it max."

Lisa nodded. "At least she's recovering."

"Yeah. She even opened her eyes yesterday." Jisoo exhaled in relief. "Enough about my case. Why were you looking for me?"

"I have... a dilemma," Lisa carefully said.

"About Jennie's case?"

Lisa nodded.

"Why?"

"Well, everyone knows her husband is the supreme ruler of Jerk‐And‐Ass Land. I have enough evidence to make sure he got divorced by at least two more wives in this lifetime."

"So what's the problem? Jennie's not even asking for alimony. Only that half."

"Err... Is it possible to be a super jerk husband and an awesome father simultaneously? I mean as in one person."

Jisoo furrowed her brows. "What are you talking about?"

Lisa took a deep breath. "Please remember that I'm not siding with him or think that what he had done is right in any way." She paused. "But... he seems like a genuinely good father to his daughter." Lisa opened her drawer and took out a thin folder from under the stack. She handed it to Jisoo.

Jisoo opened the folder and looked at the copies of the hospital bills, insurance claims and a few pictures of the man and his daughter – several showing the tiny girl weakly slumping against the worried man's shoulder. She took a deep breath. "How sick is she?"

"Very."

"Have you told Jennie?"

Lisa shook her head. "That's why I need your opinion on this, as an attorney and as her best friend. Should I tell her? This has no effect on the case so I can keep it quiet forever. Yet‐..."

"Yet it's not the girl's fault and she could be very affected by the outcome." Jisoo reviewed the bills. "These are routine checks?"

"Yes."

"So she would need to do this regularly?"

"Yup. Yeri said she would need constant therapy all her life and possibly surgeries as well."

Another deep sigh was heard from Jisoo. "You're thinking that it might be too harsh to demand half since he badly needs the money for her treatment."